"UNPLUG THE HOLIDAYS" Contest: Enter A Photo of Your Natural Holiday Decoration

Nowadays with the economy looking like a tomato attacked by anthracnose or a peony blighted by botrytis, and everyone worrying about winding up in the red, this is more than ever a holiday season for going green.

Or going back to what comes naturally. Like boughs of holly from your own backyard. Or rose hips or pinecones or a handful of juniper instead of more and more lights and over-the-top displays that suck up enough energy to keep a generator going for weeks.

And so, I’m announcing my second annual “Unplug the Holidays” contest. It’s easy to enter. Just make a wreath, create a centerpiece, garland the mantel, adorn the arbor, arrange evergreens – indoors or outdoors, as long as it’s an all-natural, or mostly natural, decoration. It has to be homemade – you can enter a friend’s handiwork but no store-bought designs.

Send me a color photograph and I’ll pick my two favorites. Believe me, it’s not easy. Check my blog from last year to see what caught my fancy. The deadline is Dec. 21. You have until midnight to submit your entry. You should include your name, mailing address, email address, daytime phone number, a brief description and the name of the person who created the decoration, if it’s not you. Photos will be posted on my blog.

Send entries to me at irene@irenevirag.com or 1019 Fort Salonga Rd., Suite 10 – #302, Northport, NY 11768.

First prize is an autographed copy of my sold-out book, “Gardening on Long Island with Irene Virag.” Second prize is a copy of "Christmas on Long Island," a collection of 25 postcards featuring holiday-themed photographs.

Good Luck. And here’s to an unplugged holiday and a greener world.